If you have plans to study in the U.S. or Canada, you most probably have an idea of what it takes to get through the application process to complete a certificate evaluation in USA: the standardized quizzes, the application forms, the essays (both in written and oral forms), statements of purpose, and of course, financial credentials. That may seem like a thorough list of credentials, but even all that information may not be sufficient to get you qualified.

A lot of Colleges and universities in the US receive loads of applications from students all over the world, and usually, it is their obligation to evaluate your certificates, academic documents and coursework from your country of education. However, they are not always equipped to get it done, and you may question how thorough they might be with so many applicants to attend to. This is where you may turn to a certificate evaluation report from a reliable certificate evaluation agency. A good report will make it easy for admissions personnel to comprehend your academic qualifications and decide where you might fit into their program right off the bat.

As a prospective foreign student, just so you know, there is no designated U.S. or Canadian government assigned office or even cubicle for certificate evaluation in USA. Most colleges and universities carry out their international academic evaluation of certificates in-house, and some other institutions employ external agencies. If your prospective school’s admissions office has not recommended any certificate evaluation agency, here’s the National Association of Certificate Evaluation Services (naces.org) for a head start. It is an informative place to research established agencies that will deliver good certificate evaluation services to you.

There a few evaluation techniques, most higher academic institutions recommend a “course-by-course” evaluation. While choosing a certificate assessment agency, it is best to search out an agency that incorporates into its report insights about the duration of your program of education, course descriptions, your institution accreditation status, and confirms the authenticity of your documents faithfully. An added bonus would be to present a grade point average (GPA) that provides the U.S. institution of your coursework because many foreign schools do not provide this. Lastly, a course-by-course evaluation showcases your education’s equivalency (bachelor’s, master’s, PhD, etc.). The evaluation report is compiled judiciously and shipped off to the academic institution(s) where you wish to study further.

Besides helping admissions officers and offices understand your qualifications better, running certificate evaluation can come in handy to you as a student. The report from the evaluation will shows what courses and electives may be transferable, and you had better know this will save you good money and valuable time. Nearly all schools have certain GPA requirements prior to application, knowing your GPA will help you identify the most appropriate schools to apply into. Prospective foreign students from countries that offer a three-year bachelor’s degree program (like India) may be eligible to instantly be in the running for a graduate program in the U.S.

So, there you go with all you need to know about certificate evaluation in USA. For a FREE Quote, visit usces.org